


or some fierce thing replete with too much rage

by stillskies



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-04
Updated: 2012-03-04
Packaged: 2017-11-01 03:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/351526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillskies/pseuds/stillskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niou takes a joke too far, and has to deal with the consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	or some fierce thing replete with too much rage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Whisper132](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whisper132/gifts).



> Originally posted 12-24-2008

It really pisses Bunta off when Niou shows up in his class in place of Yagyuu. The teachers don’t notice - Niou is a great actor, after all – but Bunta notices. One day, he knows Niou is going to get caught, and then somehow _Bunta_ is going to get in trouble.

“Oi, Marui,” Niou whispers. “Let me see your test.”

“Do your own work, _Yagyuu_ ,” Bunta sneers. There is no way Yagyuu would agree to switch on a test day if Niou didn’t know the answers. “And stop talking to me. We’re going to get in trouble. Again.”

Niou rolls his eyes and leans over further, craning his neck to see Bunta’s test. “Come on,” Niou cajoles.

“Fuck off,” Bunta hisses.

“Is there a problem, Marui-kun, Yagyuu-kun?” the teacher asks, staring at them.

“Marui-kun was trying to cheat off my test,” Niou replies promptly, Yagyuu-personality in place.

“What?” Bunta shrieks. “You’re the one leaning over _my_ desk!”

“Marui-kun, Yagyuu-kun, please hand in your tests,” the teacher says.

Bunta gathers his stuff, hands in his test, and stalks out of the room, Niou on his heels.

“Hey, Marui,” Niou says, mussing his hair. “Let’s go get something to eat.”

“Go fuck yourself, Niou,” Bunta replies scathingly. Damnit, he _really_ needed to ace that test to keep his A. His mother is going to kill him, and possibly ban him from playing tennis.

And then Yukimura will kill him.

+++

Yagyuu is in a rage when Bunta enters the locker room after school. Niou is on the other side of the room, tail between his legs. Bunta stalks to his locker, jerks it open, and changes quickly.

“Marui-kun,” Yagyuu says after they have finished running their laps, “would you care to partner with me today?”

Niou is looking at them, shocked. Bunta smiles. “Sure.”

Behind him, he hears Jackal sigh before grabbing Niou and walking to the other end of the practice court.

+++

Bunta and Yagyuu have been paired together for a week, and there are all sorts of rumors flying on the courts now, ranging from slightly true to ridiculously outrageous.

He’s particularly fond of being the Angelina Jolie in the triangle, though.

“Fer cryin’ out loud, Yagyuu,” Niou is saying. “How long can you be mad at me?”

Yagyuu glares.

“Fine. Jackal is a better partner than you anyway. At least he has a sense of humor.”

Jackal looks pained, and Bunta has a moment of sympathy for his partner, but he’s still pissed at Niou. His mom took away all of his sweets _and_ his video games. He barely got to keep tennis by promising to talk to the teacher and get some extra credit.

Yukimura walks onto the court and everyone is suddenly quiet. Bunta picks up the ball and serves at Niou’s head.

+++

Yukimura calls them to attention ten minutes before practice is over. Bunta can tell by the smile on the captain’s face that they were in for a hell of a lashing.

He goes over the usual end of practice business before dismissing the team and asking Niou, Yagyuu, and Bunta to stay behind.

“I don’t know what is going on,” Yukimura begins, “but I expect it to be _over_ by morning practice.” With that, Yukimura leaves, Sanada trailing behind him.

Niou looks at them and sighs. “Fine,” he says. “I’ll hack the system and change your grades.”

Bunta scoffs. “I can do that myself, _and_ I wouldn’t leave a trail.”

Niou is glaring. “Then what the hell do you want me to do? Huh?”

Yagyuu’s glasses glint.

+++

The next morning at practice, Niou shows up in costume.

He flops at Yagyuu’s feet and begs for forgiveness, wagging his ass in the air. Bunta feels oddly like he’s watching a fetish porno, but he isn’t going to argue. As much he respects Yagyuu, Niou is right; Jackal is more fun.

Yagyuu forgives him just as Yukimura walks onto the courts. Sanada looks like he’s going to burst a blood vessel, and Yukimura just looks amused.

“Now that things are back to normal,” Yukimura announces, “seventy five laps. Begin.”

Bunta sighs and starts running.

“Hey, Bunta,” Jackal says, jogging next to him. “After practice tonight, wanna stop by the bakery?”

“You buying?”

Jackal rolls his eyes. “Yeah.”

Bunta grins. _I guess things are back to normal,_ he thinks.

**Author's Note:**

> Title shamelessly borrowed from Sonnet 23 by William Shakespeare


End file.
